Garage Day 1: Concrete Prep

I met with five different contractors but only got estimates from two. The most responsive and best priced contractor was Merrill from Budget Garages so I chose him. Merrill had also built a neighbors garage and the neighbor was happy so that gave me some confidence in my choice.

Thursday morning before Labor Day weekend and only a week and a half after signing the contract construction began. On that first day three workers with Riveria concrete showed up before 7 and began prepping the sight with leveling and forms. Luckily I caught them before I went to work because they were doing a 10 foot alley set back and I needed 15 so I could turn into the garage. That same day I came home from at lunch hoping to see what they were doing but they were done and long gone.

Garage Day 0: Prototyping

I want a garage but how big and where should it be are just a couple of the questions I had.  To help me decide I made a rough frame that I could drag around the yard.  That helped me decide on a 30' deep by 24' wide garage with a 15' alley setback.

Fossil Trace Golf

Four blocks from my house is Fossil Trace golf course. I have walked
the course several times in the night but today I actually hit some
balls there. It's a beautiful course and another reason I like Golden and
where I live.

Mountain Biking Pikes Peak / Barr Trail

Ron from Colorado Springs has been wanting to ride Pikes Peak top to bottom for several years. I was not sure about it, but I finally gave in and joined in. It was a blast and included ~6000 vertical feet of downhill mountain biking.

Mark is having fun in the great outdoors.
ESN:0-7341053
Latitude:38.8402
Longitude:-105.0427
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:08/26/2009 09:32:07 (US/Mountain)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=38.8402,-105.0427&ll=38.8402,-105.0427&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

M2M 5km Run

This morning Shadow and I ran the Mountain to Mountain 5km race in
Breckenridge.

It was our first run and race of the year. I didn't know if I could
do it but we ran without stopping and finished in 26 minutes. It was
a ton of fun, a good fitness check and so much easier then high school
XC where you are racing to win.

Roller Dolls Blur

Next door to the Rocky Mountain Bike Show was a roller derby.

Roller Derby? you ask. That's how I felt before I went but now I get it.

The girls are fast, athletic and appear to have a lot of fun. Each team has 5 skaters on the track at time. There is 1 lead skater whose purpose I did not understand, then there are 3 blocking skaters and 1 rear skater. The rear skaters score points for their team by getting around the blocking an lead skaters of the opposing team.

Rocky Mountain Bike Show

The 2nd annual Rocky Mountain Bike Show occurred in Denver today. After a long day of working in the yard, I rushed over and caught the last hour. My favorite bikes there were made of machined wood by Renovo.

http://www.renovobikes.com/

While at the bike show I also saw Sonya Looney. Sonya is a professional mountain biker with Topeak Ergon whose blog I enjoy reading whenever Rickard sends me updates.

http://www.sonyalooney.missingsaddle.com/

Ultimate Bike Performance

Is it time for you to get some spandex and start shaving your legs?

Leadville 100 - From fun to pain

When does mountain biking 100 miles at 10,000 feet stop being fun and start becoming painful.  It would probably hit me at mile 50 but while helping a friend with water bottles who was racing, I must admit I saw more smiles then frowns.

I have to give Dave Weins props because he has won the race multiple times but he could not hold off Lance this year.  But it wasn't to big of a surprise that Lance set a new course record of 6:30...  After all he took 2nd in the Tour de France this year.  Either way, I wish I was racing this weekend so I could of said I raced with Lance.

Sturgis 69 - Motorcycle and Hail

Brian and I cruised to Sturgis in my truck this last weekend. In case you do not know, Sturgis is one of the worlds largest motorcycle rallies and this year was their 69th anniversary. The rally runs an entire week and we arrived Friday afternoon on the closing weekend. There were 100,000s of bikers in all directions and it was an awesome time. Unfortunately, golf ball plus size hail rolled through and destroyed all sorts of vehicles including my truck. (The black truck is like my truck but was messed up even worse)

++++++++++++++++++

Mark is having fun in the great outdoors.
ESN:0-7341053
Latitude:44.4152
Longitude:-103.4177
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:08/08/2009 10:33:26 (US/Mountain)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=44.4152,-103.4177&ll=44.4152,-103.4177&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Colorado Wheat Harvest 09 - Better Then Ever

The wet spring and summer in Colorado this year resulted in a fantastic wheat harvest. I went out east near Arriba and helped my cousins with harvest. It was a great time and I was happy to help them. They work long hard hours but being outside and driving a combine was a fun change compared to my cubicle. Hopefully I will make it Oklahoma and Kansas some year for harvest where I also have family that farms.

Kenosha Pass / Colorado Trail Mountain Biking

Ron and Jake organized another bike trip this weekend. Saturday they rode downhill at Keystone while I raced at Winter Park. Then on Sunday we road the Colorado Trail starting at Kenosha Pass on Highway 285 and road northwest over the Continental Divide to Breckenridge. It was a great ride and the first part was filled with big views and wild flowers. Once we reached the divide summit, weather was blowing in so we had to skip the last 14 miles of downhill rolling single track. I guess that means we will have to go back some year. ;-)

++++++++++

Mark is having fun in the great outdoors.
ESN:0-7341053
Latitude:39.5302
Longitude:-105.9983
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:07/12/2009 14:32:06 (US/Mountain)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=39.5302,-105.9983&ll=39.5302,-105.9983&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Time:07/12/2009 13:28:45 (US/Mountain)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=39.4613,-105.9102&ll=39.4613,-105.9102&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=39.4547,-105.9026&ll=39.4547,-105.9026&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=39.4126,-105.7586&ll=39.4126,-105.7586&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

OK ESN:0-7341053

Sailing the high seas of Utah with Ryan, Mike, Linda, Jeff, Erin, Matt and Laura 6/10/09 thru 6/14/09.
ESN:0-7341053
Latitude:37.0692
Longitude:-111.4542
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:06/13/2009 12:29:26 (US/Mountain)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.0692,-111.4542&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

OK ESN:0-7341053

Sailing the high seas of Utah with Ryan, Mike, Linda, Jeff, Erin, Matt and Laura 6/10/09 thru 6/14/09.
ESN:0-7341053
Latitude:37.1864
Longitude:-110.8795
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:06/12/2009 10:27:58 (US/Mountain)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.1864,-110.8795&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

OK ESN:0-7341053

Sailing the high seas of Utah with Ryan, Mike, Linda, Jeff, Erin, Matt and Laura 6/10/09 thru 6/14/09.
ESN:0-7341053
Latitude:37.1206
Longitude:-111.0817
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:06/11/2009 15:44:55 (US/Mountain)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.1206,-111.0817&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

OK ESN:0-7341053

Sailing the high seas of Utah with Ryan, Mike, Linda, Jeff, Erin, Matt and Laura 6/10/09 thru 6/14/09.
ESN:0-7341053
Latitude:37.1707
Longitude:-110.872
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:06/11/2009 10:02:01 (US/Mountain)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.1707,-110.872&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

OK ESN:0-7341053

Sailing the high seas of Utah with Ryan, Mike, Linda, Jeff, Erin, Matt and Laura 6/10/09 thru 6/14/09.
ESN:0-7341053
Latitude:37.1127
Longitude:-110.9487
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:06/11/2009 08:38:12 (US/Mountain)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.1127,-110.9487&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

OK ESN:0-7341053

Sailing the high seas of Utah with Ryan, Mike, Linda, Jeff, Erin, Matt and Laura 6/10/09 thru 6/14/09.
ESN:0-7341053
Latitude:37.1767
Longitude:-110.9225
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:06/10/2009 15:44:56 (US/Mountain)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.1767,-110.9225&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Bon Voyage

We have left Bullfrog and are on the water so I imagine cell coverage
will drop and this will be my last post. I'm excited, this is going
to be FUN!!!

Hello Powers

Wow, it's a small world.

While we were loading the houseboat I saw a lady on the dock I
recogonized. It was Lousie from Winter Park and she was also setting
sail today with Graham, Heidi and family. It looks like you missed
this trip Allison but I'm sure you are doing something equally cool.

Bar?

Learning how the bar works and everything else.

Rough

It's going to be rough. I think that's why Mike and Laura have such
big smiles. The houseboat is 73' long, has 5 bedrooms, a nice
kitchen, a big flat screen, a roofside deck with bar, hottub and BBQ.

Good job Jeff. This boat rocks.

Boat comparison

Jeff's boat vs my boat. His has 400hp, can carry 12 people and 20
cases of beer. My boat has 0.01hp, can carry only me and 1 can of beer.

OK ESN:0-7341053

Sailing the high seas of Utah with Ryan, Mike, Linda, Jeff, Erin, Matt and Laura 6/10/09 thru 6/14/09.
ESN:0-7341053
Latitude:37.5193
Longitude:-110.7444
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:06/10/2009 08:54:32 (US/Mountain)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.5193,-110.7444&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

BENT!!!

>

> We were taking two boats to Powell and I was going to tow Ryans from
> Golden. However on his way from Colorado Springs he hit a pothole
> which blew a tire, bent a rim and bent the trailer axle.
>
> After a frustrating afternoon of trying to get things fixed, it was
> determined the axle could not be fixed. And with a bent axle the
> trailer could not make it 900 miles to Powell. So we ditched the
> boat and headed for Powell a good 7 hours later then planned. We
> then stopped in GJ to pick up Mike and Linda who used to live in
> Pueblo and moved to Hawaii. Then finally at about 3am this morning
> we made it to Bullfrog on the north shore of Powell.
>

OK ESN:0-7341053

Mtn biking Centennial Cone 5/20/09.
ESN:0-7341053
Latitude:39.745
Longitude:-105.3356
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:05/20/2009 19:07:38 (US/Mountain)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=39.745,-105.3356&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

OK ESN:0-7341053

Mtn biking Centennial Cone 5/20/09.
ESN:0-7341053
Latitude:39.7457
Longitude:-105.3255
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:05/20/2009 18:37:32 (US/Mountain)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=39.7457,-105.3255&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

OK ESN:0-7341053

Mtn biking Centennial Cone 5/20/09.
ESN:0-7341053
Latitude:39.7717
Longitude:-105.3469
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:05/20/2009 18:11:07 (US/Mountain)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=39.7717,-105.3469&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Hi Hi (Goodbye)

There's the plane, our ride home. Flying here from Chicago on SAS was
a pleasure and the flight went quick. Hopefully going home will be
the same.

Besides the pickpocket, my trip was great. Denmark and Sweden are
great countries and I would love to come back. But if I plan to ride
my bike or camp I will wait till summer. We were super lucky and
experienced the warmest, sunniest and driest weather Denmark and
Sweden have seen in 100 years. And today as we prepare to leave the
weather is cool and overcast for the first time in a week.

The lack of useless gift shops is ironic and maybe a fitting
farewell. I don't know if it was hard to find gift shops and tshirt
shops because summer wasn't yet here or because it's something the
Danes and Swedes don't do compared to Americans. I think it's the
latter but either way I hit the airport hoping to find a tshirt and
some other gifts. But to my surprise I couldn't even find a gift
store at the airport.

Instead the international departure terminal was full of alcohol,
perfume, clothes and even a nice lingere display. Why worry about
worthless junk when you can look and feel good with good drinks and
nice clothes.

Hi Hi, Maan Tak (goodbye, thank you very much)

Copenhagen street tax

My last day in Copenhagen ended with a canal tour of Copenhagen. It
was suggested by my friend Katrine who I met several years ago
skiing. She now lives in Copenhagen and joined me on the tour. While
on the tour, Katrine and the boat guide both provided city histories.
I prefered Katrines rendition but we both learned something new from
the boat guide. In old Copenhagen, the buildings are very narrow
because they were taxed by the length if city street they occupied.
It doesn't matter when or where, people always try to avoid being
taxed it seems.

Thanks Katrine for the tour and worlds best hot dog.

Train life

Time was running out so I hopped on the train from Arhus to
Copenhagen. It took 3 hours which would of been 3 days on the bike.
Good thing for trains.

Happy birthday

Travelling just to see the sights is always fun but I enjoy it even
more when I get to meet some locals. So after a great day at
Legoland, Rasmus and Mette let me join them at a friends birthday
party. It was a great party with lots of nice people, delicous food
and nonstop drinks.

World Lego tour

If you never played with Legos you might not understand the interest
in going to Legoland. However, I think most people would love it if
they only went. I know I sure did!!!

I didn't know what Legoland would be like for an adult but I thought
it was awesome and so did many other people of all ages. Legoland
itself is a combination theme park and model brick heaven. Everything
is based on Legos and if possible made from Legos, including life size
people and minature cities.

My favorite part was the minature cities. Using cities from around
the world, the Lego engineers would reproduce cityscapes in Legos.
Just that in itself was awesome because some of the cityscapes were
huge and included millions of Legos. But the Lego engineers even
brought the cities alive by incorporating sound and moving Lego
trains, ships, cars... One of the most impressive things was a series
of ship locks in which ships were raised or lowered as they moved
between cities.

So what's my conclusion. Legoland is a MUST SEE!!!